Lebanon extradites top Syrian general to face war crimes trial

Lebanon on Wednesday extradited Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's top general, who will be put on trial for crimes committed against civilians during the country's 14-year-long civil war, authorities said.

Major General Adel Issa is the first military officer to be turned over by Lebanon since al-Assad’s fall in December 2024.

Beirut decided on Tuesday to deliver Issa to Syria, after questioning him over crimes he allegedly committed during al-Assad’s 24-year reign.

Damascus issued a warrant against Issa over alleged crimes including intentional killing of more than two people, torture resulting in death, and acts of aggression aimed at inciting civil war and interethnic hatred, Syria’s Interior Ministry said.

The ministry added that Issa was the commander of the Syrian army’s 17th Division and in charge of ground forces in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour until 2016. The ministry posted a photo of Issa wearing a prison uniform.

Officials in Beirut said on Tuesday that Issa was turned over to Syria under a 1951 agreement between the countries that allows extradition.

After Syrian fighters opposed to al-Assad marched into Damascus, effectively ending the war in December 2024, a number of military and security officers fled to Lebanon, where some remain.

Dozens of other former security officials accused of atrocities have been arrested and put on trial in Syria.

Last week, a Syrian court sentenced Bashar al-Assad and his younger brother Maher to death in absentia while Brigadier General Atef Najib became the most senior former security official to be sentenced to death while in custody.

The al-Assad brothers fled to Russia during a surprise 11-day offensive in late 2024.

Issa was detained on 8 August when he went to the Syrian Embassy in Beirut for paperwork. Embassy officials contacted Lebanon’s prosecutor’s office to tell them that Issa was wanted in Syria. Issa had fled to Lebanon by crossing illegally after al-Assad’s fall.

Syria’s conflict, which began with anti-government protests in March 2011 before turning into a civil war, left at least 500,000 people dead and over 1 million injured.